Posted on 06/14/2009 10:20:09 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
BEIJING (AP) — A state-run newspaper said Monday that a Chinese submarine's reported collision with an underwater sonar apparatus towed by a U.S. destroyer last week in the South China Sea was likely an accident.
The official China Daily cited Chinese military experts as saying the submarine's collision with the sonar array connected to the USS John S. McCain while sailing near the Philippines probably occurred due to a misjudgment of distance.
Yin Zhuo, a senior researcher with the People's Liberation Army's Navy Equipment Research Center, said the American destroyer appeared to have failed to detect the submarine, while the Chinese vessel set its distance from the McCain assuming it was not carrying sonar arrays, according to the paper.
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I was an ASW officer many moons ago. The towed array sonar is a passive sonar, that listens only. They were certainly aware of the presence of the Chinese sub, but would not have had an accurate range. The towed array would have to be baffled to mask the towing ship’s signature noise. Perhaps, the Chinese attempted to hide in the “baffled” zone, and miscalculated it’s postition, since it’s sonars were also in passive mode.
“I see you fancy yourself as far more important than I.”
Not at all. I don’t know what I said that would make you think that. Let me know? Seems like you’re in an argument. I’m not.
“What in the world makes you think I was “angry?””
“heck” is a substitute for “hell”, and shows real consternation. Many people have an extremely valid opinion that this is less than accidental. Your reply discredited the validity of the opinion, simply because it didn’t align with yours. It’s not uncommon, and something I’ve been guilty of from time to time.
LOL!!!
Listen..I am willing to be we have an aweful lot in common, but this is nothing more than simple disagreement.
That sounds like another reasonable explanation to me.
An ASW person would know better, but I don’t think they tow that array through expanses of empty ocean trolling, but only stick that thing in the water when they are (A) Doing an exercise or training, or (B) have a high suspicion that there is something there.
I would also guess that if they were outside a base like Yokosuka or Norfolk, they might have ships doing that, but this was near Subic Bay where we don’t have a base anymore.
It would be interesting to know, but we might never get the story.
Submarines have always been able to sink surface ships including aircraft carriers. This is nothing new.
ASW is a constant struggle of measure and countermeasure.
My Dad Served on the Mccain back in the 50s or early 60s. He said it was not the most awesome vessel ever.
UNCLOS/LOST.
The US is mapping the sea floor/shelf.
There are overlapping claims regarding the shelf and mineral rights. China and Japan already settled their dispute over the Spratleys but there are still disputes between China, Viet Nam, the Phillipines, etc.
The US has no claims in this area except it benefits the US for this area not to belong to any of these nations, but to be international waters under the control of UNCLOS.
You have the same conflicts in the Arctic Ocean. Russia, Canada, and Denmark have overlapping claims on the Lomonosov Ridge, but it benefits the US for that area be international.
Same way in the Antarctic with the dispute between UK/Falklands and Argentina.
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